SEXUALITY AND ELDERLY

Sexuality in Women Over 70

Sexuality in Women Over 70

Introduction

Sexuality can be understood in many different ways. It can be considered in relation to sexual activity and sexual identity, and debated in relation to social construction theory, to social control, or to political, economic and social practices. Sexuality can be described in essentialist terms - that is, as fixed and as a result of genetics/instinct, or it can be understood as shaped, controlled and regulated by social, political and economic factors. Those advocating the first interpretation view sexuality as 'natural' and promote heterosexuality as 'normal'. At the beginning of this century has seen an increase in life expectancy. 1000 years ago the average person lived 25 years, in 1900 life expectancy was 35 years and has since doubled. The aging population is a fact which is due to several factors, a process that occurs in United States and has gained increasing attention (Lindau, Leitsch, Lundberg & Jerome, 2006). This is accompanied, usually chronic, and in many cases, such degree of disability and dependence, which causes suffering to the patient and their families.

Discussion and Analysis

At the beginning of this century has seen an increase in life expectancy. 1000 years ago the average person lived 25 years, in 1900 life expectancy was 35 years and has since doubled. The theme of the influence of aging on sex is a matter of our century. The man suddenly faced with prolongation of life with little knowledge of its physiological capacity and a cultural pattern which integrates rigid concepts about sex, passed down from generations and that are often false.

One such misconception is that sexual activity poses to disappear in old age and, therefore, want it or have sexual fantasies, after 60 years is not natural, physiological, moral or socially frowned upon. For many people of both sexes is a stressor reach middle age, causing the onset of sexual function disorders. The development of physiological evolution through the different ages is the basic element these ideas (Jagus, 2002).

The physiology of sexual response cycle has been studied by Masters and Johnson (1) dividing it into four phases: excitement, plateau, orgasm phase and resolution phase. This seemingly arbitrary division provides an effective basis for a detailed description of the physiological variations of sex, which may be transient and appear only in one phase of the cycle. The first phase, or excitement, human sexual cycle develops from stimulation. Stimulating factor is of utmost importance to produce an increase in sexual tension during the cycle. If stimulation is appropriate to the individual demand, the intensity of the response generally increases rapidly, and excitement phase is accelerated or short. If the stimulus is not effective, the excitement phase may last long or may not occur (Phillips, 2009).

In the excitement phase is passed to the plateau if effective sexual stimulation continues. At this stage the tension escalates and peaks. After which appears orgasm. The duration of the plateau phase depends on the quality of the stimulus used in combination with individual ...